Start Making! is a program developed by the Clubhouse Network to engage
young people all over the world in Maker-inspired activities. With this
guide, you will discover how to plan and coordinate Start Making!
projects in your home, school, library, community center, after-school
club, or makerspace. You'll learn strategies for engaging young people
in creative thinking, developing individual and team projects, and
sharing and reflecting on their creations.
Each session includes a list of the supplies you'll need, step-by-step
instructions for completing the projects, and prompts for stimulating
discussion, curiosity, and confidence. These fun do-it-yourself (and
do-it-together) projects teach fundamental STEAM concepts -- science,
technology, engineering, art, and math -- while introducing young people
to the basics of circuitry, design, coding, crafting, and construction.
They'll make paper cards and creations that light up, play music using a
MaKey MaKey keyboard and Scratch programming, join together to make
paintings with light, design and construct 3D sculptures, build a
vibrating art-bot that makes drawings, and sew fabric creations with
wearable circuits.
Dip into the activities once a week, run them as a week-long summer
activity, or go through the guide in any way that works for you. By
offering your own Start Making! program, you can inspire young people in
your community to develop creative ideas, learn new skills, and share
their creations.
The Clubhouse Network is a global network of community-based centers led
by Boston's Museum of Science in collaboration with the MIT Media Lab.
